We knew this was coming, but barely a day after the American people decided to reelect Donald J. Trump, the Democrats are at each other’s throats over who to blame for the loss. Kamala Harris got trounced by Trump, who secured a landslide Electoral College win and the popular vote. It’s a total smackdown. Even if liberals whine about the Electoral College, it’s moot: Trump won the popular vote, so there’s nowhere to run or hide.
It's funny since the issues with the Democrats were explicitly clear: Biden should never have been elected, Kamala, like Joe, was grossly unpopular and unqualified, and the Democratic Party can’t communicate to working-class voters anymore. Was there a tight window for Kamala to define herself after Democrats launched a coup that forced Biden out of the race in July? Sure—it was 107 days, but more than enough time to make her case. The problem, again, is that she didn’t because she didn’t have the bandwidth to make it happen. The 2020 primaries weren’t a mirage, folks—Kamala is truly that awful.
Some Democrats — including Harris campaign officials — blame Biden for the loss
— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) November 6, 2024
“Biden will hold a lot of blame for it,” a senior Harris campaign official told CNN. “And frankly, he should.”
Obama staffers are trying to pin blame on Biden for Harris’ loss.
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) November 6, 2024
Reacting to Plouffe’s tweet, one Biden-world source called Plouffe a “Sanctimonious a**” – another said “I find this so unproductive. Joe Biden is the President of the United States and won with out you. He… https://t.co/cdJnlcmG0Q
Dems/journos blaming Biden because he stepped down so late
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) November 6, 2024
Which is funny, bc I don't see ANY of them accepting responsibility for covering up Biden's dementia for 3.5 years
Still, some point fingers at Biden for not quitting the race soon enough. It’s gaslighting on a grand scale since the Democratic Party and the media’s position before his ill-fated June debate was that his mental abilities were at Mensa levels. Still, the dagger thrusts and backstabbing has begun (via Axios):
"There were a lot of mistakes": Democrats start clawing each others' eyes out https://t.co/u7H4HnP9F8
— Axios (@axios) November 7, 2024
Democrats across the ideological spectrum are quickly seizing on this raw moment to try to redefine the party in their image.
"Instead of saying, 'How can people vote for Donald Trump,' we should be asking 'Why do people vote for Donald Trump'... what did he do right and what did we do wrong," Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) told Axios.
[…]
Several other progressive members of Congress, such as Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), offered similar critiques of the party's approach.
"There were a lot of mistakes," Bowman told Axios.
The other side: Suozzi, a moderate, told Axios, "We have to stop pandering to the base and we have to start listening to the people ... people are sick of extremism."
Suozzi predicted that he is "going to get beaten up" for his post-election takes.
"The far-left is going to say it's because Kamala Harris was a war hawk ... they'll try, but I think no one's buying it," said another House Democrat.
State of play: Democrats are feeling dejected and shellshocked by the decisive loss of the White House and Senate.
"It was not what any of us expected, and it was certainly not what I was hoping for," said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.).
Is it Biden’s fault, the party elites, the consultant class—the list of those who will be punched in the face is lengthy. Still, everyone agrees: the postmortem will be brutal and likely spark another round of whippings, warranted or not. Not that I want to offer comfort to Democrats at this time because these can go screw off, but I doubt Biden would have done any better. Both individuals would have gotten the brakes beaten off of them.